Ashley Barnes backs Burnley teammate James Trafford to follow in footsteps of Hart, Heaton and Pope
Ashley Barnes is backing his Burnley teammate James Trafford to follow in the footsteps of some of Burnley’s former goalkeepers and represent England at senior level.
The 35-year-old has already played with the likes of Tom Heaton, Joe Hart and Nick Pope at Turf Moor, three stoppers that have all gone on to represent the Three Lions.
While Trafford has previously been part of England squads, he’s yet to make his senior bow.
Following a remarkable campaign where he’s kept 24 of Burnley’s 25 clean sheets, and in the midst of a 12-game run of shutouts, Barnes sees no reason why Trafford can’t go on and maybe even eclipse the careers of some of Burnley’s high-profile goalkeepers.
“I've obviously been in the changing room where I've had the likes of Tom Heaton, Joe Hart and Nick Pope; so all international goalies,” he told SportsBoom.
“’Traffs is just another one that I can add to the list to say how good he really is. He is something special and has got every attribute.
“I can’t see why he can’t be in that starting XI for the national team.
“For him though at the moment, he is just concentrating on playing week in, week out getting us out of this division. But he is one for the future, for sure.
“He’s a great kid. He has been phenomenal between the sticks but as a unit the back four or five have been brilliant as a unit.
“First and foremost, we defend as a team and attack as a team. That's just everyone's way of working here.
“You have to be on it every day otherwise you're not going to play. That's down to the manager to have that competition.
“Obviously it's a big team collective but it always helps when you do have a good goalie in the net.”
And while Trafford has been denying a plethora of second tier strikers this season, Barnes joked: “Of course I am scoring against him all the time in training, but don’t tell him that, he will get upset.”
Barnes was speaking exclusively to SportsBoom.